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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cap — of ice
  4. charge — in control
  5. vault — a safe
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. root — the cause
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cap — a hat
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bat — the animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com